chapter 1: the customer service profession instructor: mr ... · pdf fileemployees to deliver...

© 2012 by Robert W. Lucas

Chapter 1: The Customer Service Profession

Instructor: Mr. Leon Roberts

Contact: [email protected]

Website: leon-roberts.com

mailto:[email protected]

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Learning Outcomes

• 1-1: Define customer service.

• 1-2: Describe factors that have impacted the growth of the service sector in the United States.

• 1-3: Identify the socioeconomic and demographic changes that have influenced customer service.

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Learning Outcomes

• 1-4: Recognize the changes in consumer behavior that are impacting service.

• 1-5: List the six major components of a customer-focused environment.

• 1-6: Explain how some companies are addressing the changes impacting the service sector.

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What is Customer Service?

• Define The ability of knowledgeable, capable and enthusiastic

employees to deliver products and services to internal and external customers

• What Is the service industry? – The definition of customer service really depends on the type

of business

– A service industry is one that engaged in service delivery, rather than working with products

– Product

» Something produced or tangible

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Customer-Focused Organization

• Define • A company that focused and spends effort by insuring great service

• Characteristics of a customer focused organization

– Internal Customers

– Their focus is on determining and meeting the needs of customers while treating everyone with respect and as if they were special

– Management and systems support and appropriately reward employee efforts to serve customers

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Customer-Focused Organization

• Characteristics of a customer focused organization (contd)

» Reevaluation and quantitative measurement of the way business is conducted is ongoing and results in necessary changes and upgrades to deliver timely quality service to the customer

» Continual benchmarking or comparison with competitors and related organizations helps maintain an acute awareness and implementation of best service practices by the organization

» The latest technology is used to connect with and provide service to customers, vendors, or suppliers and to support business operations

» They build relationships through customer relationship management (CRM) programs

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Customer Service Historically

• The service sector

– What is it?

• Historical customer service

– Cottage industries

– Shift to service

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Customer Service Historically

• The service sector

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Growth of Service Sector

• Job Growth – Jobs in service are expected to grow while goods producing

occupations are expected to shrink

• Economy – Overall quantity

» Growth is projected

– Distribution of jobs among industries, occupations, geographic areas and different size business

» Telecommuting as a trend

» More training and technology provided

» Jobs may be more centered in major metropolitan area

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Growth of Service Sector

• Quality of jobs – Quality of jobs, measured by wages, security and

opportunities for development

» Better paying jobs on the rise

» Service sector tends to pay more than goods-producing

» Different skills are needed

» Education is needed

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Societal Factors Affecting Customer Service

• Global economic shift

– Economic indicators have been in turmoil, creating new needs

– People tend to cut costs

• Shifts in population

– Higher population growth in some countries

• Increased technology efficiency

– New machines can work longer and faster

– Technological advances can lead to increase in some jobs, but decrease in others

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• Globalization

– Trade barriers came down

– Offshoring and outsourcing as a result—can help increase profit

• Deregulation

– The removal of governmental restrictions on an industry

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• Geopolitical

– Political unrest, conflicts, wars and embargos

– Limit access to product and that global market

– Trade agreements can assist companies in finding cheaper labor in other countries

– China’s increased need for services and products

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• White Collar Workers – Less farming, mining so more people work at traditional nine-

to-five jobs

• Women entering workforce – Shifting of traditional roles

– Women’s incomes have risen but still not equal to the pay of men doing the same job

• Diversity – Number of people from different cultures entering workforce

– Traditions, customs are different

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• Older workers – Median age is rising because of baby boomers

– Many older people working traditionally “younger” jobs

• E-commerce – Growth of online transactions

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Consumer Behavior Shifts

• New mindsets

• Expectations

• Customer Preparation

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The Components of a customer service environment

• The Customer

• Organizational Culture

• Human Resources

• Products and deliverables

• Delivery systems

• Service

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How to address the customer service changes

• Learning organizations

• The small business perspective

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